Sutton is consistently one of the safest boroughs in London and overall crime in Sutton borough continues to fall – with much of this success being attributed to more targeted police operations and good information from residents - with many keen to join Neighbourhood Watch to help deter criminals and make communities safer.

Statistics released on 23rd April show that crime in Sutton fell by 5.2% during the period April 2012-2013 compared to the same period the previous year. That’s more than 600 fewer victims of crime.
This is the fourth consecutive year that crime has fallen - with a total fall of 30.3% since 2005 when the Safer Sutton Partnership Service was set up as a joint police and council team to manage the borough’s community safety services based at Sutton Police station.

Sutton Borough Commander Guy Ferguson said the results were good news for the borough. “Every day we are running operations of one kind or another to put criminals on the back foot and to show them that we will pursue them in a robust and relentless way.”
For example, Sutton has taken part in many London-wide and borough based initiatives such as uniformed and plain clothes operations to catch drugs related criminals and offenders like burglars, car criminals and pickpockets.
To combat crime in the borough’s town centres and incidents arising from drinking in licensed premises, officers have been working closely with clubs, pubs and retailers to make sure they are complying with the licensing laws. In the last year, police acted to put four licensed premises before Sutton Council’s licensing committee to have their licences reviewed - more than in any previous year.
Uninsured drivers have been the target of frequent operations on main routes and back roads in the borough. This is because research shows that uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in criminal activities, five times more likely to be involved in collisions and less likely to have their vehicles in a roadworthy condition than insured drivers.
Mr Ferguson added: “At the same time, residents are becoming increasingly aware that they don’t have to suffer in silence. We are getting some good information from residents about criminal and anti-social behaviour and we are acting on this information - as a result we are carrying out search and arrest warrants almost every day to make these activities stop.”

Sutton has seen a huge increase in the number of residents joining Neighbourhood Watch – with membership almost doubling over the last year to 2,760 members – with one ward – Wandle Valley – being the first in the Met to have a NHW co-ordinator in every street in their area. Officers from Safer Neighbourhoods Teams are actively working with NHW to recruit new members.

Mr Ferguson said the increase in residential burglary and motor vehicle crimes was disappointing - and were the result of an unprecedented surge in criminals travelling into the borough and other South West London boroughs during last Autumn targeting gold jewellery because of the high price of gold.
“We estimate that around 60% of these criminals were coming into Sutton from outside,” he said. Police operations have resulted in many arrests which have reduced the impact these criminals are making in Sutton.

Det. Chief Supt Ferguson said: “Sutton is known throughout London as a borough where police and other organisations like Sutton Council, registered social landlords, businesses and others like NHW, work closely together to make local communities safer. “We are determined to work in any way we can to make Sutton even safer for the benefit of everyone who lives, works or visits the borough.”

The 2012-2013 results highlights for the number of offences:
(Figs in brackets - 2011-2012 total followed by total for 2012-2013):